Interim Santa Ana executive wants to promote transparency

Kevin O'Rourke, Santa Ana's newly appointed interim city manager, speaks to Santa Ana residents who welcomed him during his first City Council meeting Tuesday. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

About Kevin O'Rourke

Age: 61.

Residence: Fairfield.

Family: One son, two grandchildren.

Education: Bachelor’s in Spanish education, with a minor in philosophy, La Salle University, Philadelphia, 1973; attended master’s program in public administration, Cal State Long Beach; attended master’s program in theology, Washington Theological Coalition, Washington, D.C.

Background: Has served as a city manager in Stanton, Buena Park and Fairfield, and later as an interim city manager in Stockton and Woodland. Senior consultant with Public Alternative Retirement Systems, working with local governments.

Political hero: Cesar Chavez, whom he met several times while studying for the priesthood.

SANTA ANA – Kevin O'Rourke first came to Orange County in 1975, while studying to become a priest, and was assigned to La Purisima Catholic Church, which serves the heavily Latino El Modena area.

One of his jobs as a seminarian with the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in Washington, D.C., was to ferry labor leader Cesar Chavez around the capital.

"The last time I picked up Chavez I said, 'Cesar, I'm going to California.' He said, 'Oh brother, that's great. Where you going?' "

Orange County, O'Rourke responded. The farm workers in the van with them became silent.

O'Rourke, hired as Santa Ana's interim city manager Feb. 11, says that coming back to work in Orange County is "kind of like coming home."

O'Rourke left the religious community in 1976, returned east, and then in 1977 went to work for the city of Stanton, eventually becoming city manager there and in Buena Park.

Since retiring as Fairfield's city manager in 2007, he has worked in three other interim local government positions and will help Santa Ana recruit a new city manager following the resignation of Paul M. Walters, which was effective Feb. 1.

O'Rourke said he's confident that the city manager's position will attract top talent from across the country. He said he takes pride in having helped recruit city managers with the skills needed to succeed in Stockton and Woodland. Both managers are still on the job.

"Those are the proud moments for me, to turn around and say, 'That's really great. They thought I had something important to say, they listened and it served them well.' So, who knew?"

Q. Why did you want to come to Santa Ana?

A. I want to be part of this for a while. When I came out in 1975, the city of Santa Ana and Orange County were very different places than they are today, when you look at the make up of the community (78 percent Latino). Everybody on the council is Latino. That was not the case in 1975. It was a whole different environment.

The mayor's got a great reputation. The council members have got a great reputation. To me it's an opportunity.

I don't need the work; I don't need to be here. I want to be here. If I can assist this city in some small ways over the next six months, and hopefully achieve getting them a really great city manager, I'll feel really good about the fact that I came.

Q. What do you consider the city's biggest issues?

A. As a head administrator, my concern is making sure we present a balanced budget to the City Council. And looking at the potential of restructuring the organization so that we can guarantee a balanced budget over time. In addition, there is this whole question about the money that the city is grappling with the state over, the redevelopment dollars ($54.2 million the state is seeking).

We're one of the largest cities in the state, so we have one of the biggest dollar amounts hanging out there. I'm just getting my arms around that, and saying, 'How do we find a solution to that?' This could break the back of the city.

Related Links

Kevin O'Rourke, Santa Ana's newly appointed interim city manager, speaks to Santa Ana residents who welcomed him during his first City Council meeting Tuesday. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Kevin O'Rourke is Santa Ana's newly appointed interim city manager and will assist the City Council with big decisions in the days to come. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Kevin O'Rourke, Santa Ana's newly appointed interim city manager, takes notes while listening to a resident at a City Council meeting Tuesday. At right is City Attorney Sonia R. Carvalho. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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